Spice hosted its second roundtable for the year at Balla last Friday, focusing on incentive and famil trends.

Here’s a summary of what was discussed by the industry experts present:

Incentives

• The US market is back into Australia in a big way. Australians need to be aware of the way American prefer to dine – the whole meal on one plate; not a grazing style.
• There are cultural differences between Australian business practices and Indian business practices that need to be navigated (ie issues around payment up front for deposits).
• Indians want to eat Indian food in a buffet-style, prefer late starts and love to go out dancing after dinner.
• Indian groups are less interested in Sydney Harbour and the Opera House and would prefer to visit historic venues like Luna Park and Sydney and Paddington Town Halls.
• Accor Hotels offer China and India cultural training to its staff.
• The Indian market loves showboats.
• Vivid Sydney package sales were up this year, especially into the China and Singapore markets.
• The Star hosts a lot of incentive groups from East Asia; they love the venue.
• Healthcare and Technology businesses are the biggest incentive clients into Australia at the moment.
• Don’t send Asian groups to Kakadu; send Americans and Germans.
• Germans love indigenous experiences like Tjapukai in Cairns.
• The Asian market still loves the Gold Coast.
• Australia is considered too close for the Singapore market. They come here on family holidays and would prefer to go somewhere ‘more grand’ on a famil trip.
• Hunter Valley is perfect for incentive groups but there needs to be more support in-destination.

Famils

• Instagrammer famils are becoming big for a lot of properties and venues.
• Properties don’t mind sending PCOs and event planners on self-guided famils if they are considering the property for an event.
• Properties will always qualify people before accept the guest. As such, send credentials and give specific information about what you’re researching when you submit a famil request.